Combination sucker rod guide and sand purging device



C. J. HILLMAN Dec. 9, 1958 COMBINATION SUCKER ROD GUIDE AND SAND PURGING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan.

Car/ 4/ H/ ///770/? INVENTOR.

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c. J. HILLMAN Dec, 9, 1958 COMBINATION SUCKER ROD GUIDE AND SAND PURGING DEVICE 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4, 1957 INVENTOR.

Car/ (J //////770/? ATTORNEY United States Patent COMBINATION SUCKER ROD GUIDE AND SAND PURGING DEVICE Carl James Hillman, Houston, Tex. Application January 4, 1957, Serial No. 632,509 14 Claims. (Cl. 308-4) This invention relates to oil well pumping equipment and, more particularly, to a combination sucker rod guide and sand purging device for attachment to the sucker rod string employed for reciprocating well pumps.

In many oil fields sand is produced with the oil .being drawn into the production string by the reciprocating pumps conventionally used. When the pumping string is in operation, the sand will ordinarily remain in suspension and be carried upwardly through the production string with the oil. However, when the pumping is stopped, for any reason, the sand in suspension in the oil will tend to settle back through the oil and may plug the pump or valves or jam other parts of the string, causing damage to the installation and frequently requiring pulling of the string to repair the damage.

Furthermore, in operation of long strings of sucker" rods in a well tubing, rubbing of the string may occur at points along the wall of the pipe string, due either to some crookedness in the pipe or rod string, which is quite common; or due to the flexibility of the rod string and its oscillation during operation. It is desirable in such installations to provide some type of centering or guide devices for the rod string.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a combination sucker rod guide and sand purging device which will obviate or eliminate the difliculties encountered in pumping wells which produce sand with the oil, and to simultaneously obviate or eliminate the difficulties and disadvantages of more conventional centering or guide devices and sand settling traps, or the like.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a simple device attachable to a sucker rod string which combines both the functions of guiding or centering the rod string and of preventing or minimizing sand settling when the pumping string is at rest.

A more specific object is to provide a sleeve-like device, constructed of rubber or like flexible resilient material, which is mountable on the rod string and has integrally formed therewith a plurality of radially projecting, angularly spaced centering ribs arranged in at least two vertically spaced sets, angularly oriented with respect to each other so that the ends of the ribs of one set register with the spaces of the ribs in an adjacent set, the upper end surface of the several sets of ribs being shaped and positioned to function as sand-catching traps.

Still another object is to provide a device of the character described in which two sets of centering ribs are employed, each set comprising two ribs extending oppositely from each other, and each rib in cross section having a shape defining a 90 segment of the annulus between the sucker rod and pipe strings.

Other and more specific objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which illustrates several useful embodiments in accordance with this invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal elevational view of a device Patented Dec. 9, 1958 in accordance with one embodiment of this invention, the device being shown mounted on a sucker rod string above a reciprocating well pump in a string of production tubing;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the upper end of the device in plan;

Figs. 3 and 4 are longitudinal sectional views taken respectively along lines. 33 and 44 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views taken respectively along lines 55 and 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of a device in accordance with this invention;

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are cross-sectional views taken respectively along lines 8-8, 9-9 and 1tl10 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view, similar to Fig 7, of still another embodiment in accordance with this invention; and

Figs. 12, 13 and 14 are cross-sectional views taken re spectively along lines 12-12, 1313 and 14-14 of Fig. 11.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 6 and the embodiment shown therein, there is shown a production or pump tubing T as normally installed in an oil well. A sucker rod string S, of generally conventional form, is shown positioned for reciprocation in tubing T and having attached to the lower end thereof a conventional pumping unit P, only the upper end of which is shown. Mounted on a section of the sucker rod i a sleeve-like body, designated generally by the numeral 15, having an axial bore 15a. Body 15 is preferably constructed of rubber or other flexible resilient material, which is mountable on the rod section in any conventional manner, as by vulcanizing the sleeve body to the rod, or by stretching the bore of the body sufliciently to slip it over the end connections of the rod section. Body 15 is formed with two longitudinally spaced sets of radially extending, angularly spaced centering ribs, those of the .upper set being designated by the numerals 16 and those comprising the lower set of centering ribs being designated by the numerals 17. In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, each set comprises two ribs extending oppositely from the body. Each of the ribs, in cross-section, defines an angular segment of an annulus corresponding substantially to that between the sucker rod string and the wall of the tubing string, the angular span of each rib being approximately The ribs 17 are angularly oriented about the aXis of body 15 with respect to ribs 16, so that the upper ends 17b of ribs 17 will be in vertical registration with the spaces 16a between the ribs 16; similarly, of course, the ribs 16 will be in vertical registration with the spaces 17a between the ribs 17. The radial length of the ribs 16 and 17 will be such that the ribs will extend into free sliding engagement with the wall of tubing T, whereby the ribs will serve as centering guides for the rod string. The cross-sectional area of the ribs and of the spaces between the ribs will preferably be made substantially equal, that is, in the particular embodiment of Figs. 1 to 6, each of the ribs will span an angular segment of 90 as will each of the spaces between the ribs. The combined area of the ribs forming both of the sets will thus be approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of the annulus between the rod string and the wall of the tubing string and by aligning the ribs of one set with the spaces of the other, it will be seen that sand which attempts to settle down through the well fluid, when the pumping string is stationary, will be trapped partly on the upper ends 16b of the upper ribs 16--16 and partly on the upper ends 17b of the lower ribs 17-17. The vertical spacing between the sets of ribs will normally be suflicient to provide for free movement of the well fluid through the device when the pumping string is engaged in its reciprocating movements. The spacing between the sets of ribs will ordinarily be a distance which will not substantially exceed the internal diameter of the tubing string and will usually be considerably less than this dimension.

It will be understood that any number of the described combination devices may be installed on the sucker rod string and will serve to center the sucker rod string in the tubing string. At the same time, by reason of the staggered arrangement of the ribs, the device will act as an agitator to aid in maintaining the sand in suspension during reciprocation of the rod string, so that the sand will move upwardly out of the well with the well fluids. When the rod string is stationary, the arrangement of the ribs is such that their upper ends will provide effective traps to catch sand tending to settle back into the well through the fluid.

While the upper ends of the ribs are shown to have a generally flat surface, it will be understood that the upper end surfaces of the-ribs may be made concave or depressed in order to increase their sand holding or. supporting capacity.

Figs. 7 to 1 illustrate another embodiment in which each set of ribs comprises three ribs arranged on 120 centers, each rib spanning a 60 segment of the annulus with corresponding spacing between the ribs. In this embodiment, the sleeve body is designated with the numeral 20, the upper set of ribs by the numerals 21, and the intervening spaces by the numerals 22, while the ribs of the lower set are designated by the numeral 23, and the intervening spaces by the numerals 24.

Figs. 11 to 14, inclusive, illustrate another embodiment in which each set of ribs comprises four ribs arranged on 90 centers, each rib spanning an angle of with corresponding intervening spaces. The sleeve body is designated by the numeral 25, the upper set of the ribs by the numerals 26 and their intervening spaces by the numerals 27, while the ribs of the lower set are designated by the numerals ZS-and their intervening spaces by the numerals 29.

It will be understood that while it is desirable generally that the shape and dimensions of the ribs and spaces between the ribs be uniform for purposes of symmetry and ease of manufacture, this not essential, nor isthe shape of the individual ribs of special significance. It is only important that each space between the ribsof an upper set be underlain by a sand trapping surface formed on. or by the upper ends of the next lower set of ribs which.

will be of sufficient area to cover the area of that space.

In general, therefore, it is necessary thatthe combined cross-sectional areas of the ribs comprising the several sets of ribs shall be at least as great as the area of the annulus between the sucker rod string and the pipe string.

While each of the illustrative embodiments shows two sets of centering and sand-trapping ribs, it will be understood that more than two sets of' ribs may be employed and oriented so that the upper end surfaces ofthe several sets of ribs will complement each other so as to substantially completely close the annulus and trap sand tending to settle down through the fluid past the device.

While in most instances it will be found preferable to use resilient material for the construction of the rod guide and sand purging devices, this invention also contemplates that in some cases it may be found desirable to construct these devices entirely of metal, or part metal and part resilient composition material, the structural shapes and arrangement of the devices being otherwise the same.

It will be understood that other modifications and variations may be made in the details of the illustrative em bodiments within the scope of the appended claims but without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent'is:

1. In a well pump installation including a tubing string and a sucker rod string reciprocable therein, acombination sucker rod guide and sand purgingdevice, comprising, a sleeve-like body mountable on the rod string, said body carrying at least two sets of angularly spaced radially extending centering ribs constructed of flexible resilient material and slidably engageable with the wall of the tubing string, the sets of ribs being longitudinally spaced a short distance apart and angularly oriented with respect to each other so that the ends of the ribs of one set will be in registration with the spaces between the ribs of the next adjacent set, the upper end surfaces of the several ribs being shaped to trap sand settling downwardly in the tubing string, each rib having a cross-sectional shape defining an angular segment of the annulus between the sucker rod string and the tubing string, and the combined cross-sectional area of the ribs comprising the several sets being at least equal. to the area of said annulus.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the crossscctional area of said ribs and of the spaces between the ribs are substantially equal.

3. A device according to claim- 1 wherein each of said sets ofribs comprises at least two ribs equi-angularly spaced about said body.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein each of said ribs spans an angular segment of 5. A device according to claim 1 wherein each of said sets of ribs comprises three ribs on centers, and each rib spans an angular segment of 60'.

6. A device according to claim 1 wherein each of said sets of ribs comprises four ribs on 90 centers and each rib spans an angular segment of 45 7. In a well pump installation including a tubing string and a sucker rod string reciprocable therein, a combination sucker rod guide and sand purging device, comprising, a generally tubular sleeve-like body constructed of flexible resilient material mountable about the sucker rod string, said body having integrally formed therewith at least two sets of at least two angularly spaced'radially extending centering ribs slidably engageable with the wall of the tubing string, the sets of ribs being longitudinally spaced a short distance apart and angularly oriented with respect to each other so that the ends of the ribs of one set will be in registration with the spaces between the ribs of the next adjacent set, the upper ends of the several ribs being substantially flat and having across-sectional shape defining an angular segment of the annulusbetween the sucker rod string and the tubing string, and the combined cross-sectional areas of theribs comprising the several sets being at least equal to the area of said annulus.

8. A device according to claim 7 wherein the cross sectional areas of said ribs and the spaces between the ribs are substantiallyequal.

9. In awell pump installation including a tubing string and a sucker rod string reciprocable therein, a combination sucker rod guide and sand purging device, comprising, a sleeve-like body mountable on the rod string, said body carrying at least two sets of angularly spaced radially extending centering ribs slidably engageable with the wall of the tubing string, the sets of ribs being longitudinally spaced a short distance apart and angularly oriented with respect to each other so that the ends of the ribs of one set will be in registration with the spaces between the ribs of the next adjacent set, the upper end surfaces of the several ribs being shaped to trap sand settling downwardly in the tubing string, each rib having a cross-sectional shape defining an angular segment of the annulus between the sucker rod string andthe tubing string, and the combined crosssectional area of the ribs comprising the several sets being at least equal to the area of the annulus.

10; A device according to claim'9 wherein the crosssectional area of the ribs and of the spaces between the ribs are substantially equal.

- 11. A device according to claim 9 wherein each of said sets of ribs comprises at least two ribs equi-angularly spaced about said body.

12. A device according to claim 11 wherein each of said ribs spans an angular segment of 90.

13. A device according to claim 9 wherein each of said References Cited in the file of this patent sets of ribs comprises three ribs on 120 centers and each M ribs spans an angular segment of 90. UNITED STATES PATENLS 14. A device according to claim 9 wherein each of said 1,672,850 Meier et a1. June 5, 1928 sets of ribs comprises four ribs on 90 centers and each, 5 2,338,937 Hait I an. 11, 1944 rib spans an angular segment of 45". 2,659,439 Baker Nov. 17, 1953 

